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THE FIGHTING AT FORT DONELSON.

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battery of six pieces, which was went into them on a run, closely foltaken. 26

day.

Since the siege began, the weather had suddenly changed to cold, with a light snow, followed by a piercing N. W. wind, rendering the sufferings on either side fearful and almost universal. Our men were without tents, and at many points without fires; while the Rebels, worse clad and little better sheltered, shivered in their fireless trenches through weary day and sleepless night. Hundreds on either side were frost-bitten; and it is said that quite a number of the wounded, left uncared for by the shifting tide of battle, were actually frozen to death.

lowed by the 7th and 14th, with the Gen. Grant-not expecting this 25th Indiana, cutting down or chasstriking proof of Rebel vitality—was ing off their defenders; and the posome miles distant on a gunboat, con- sition thus gained was soon made ferring with Com. Foote, when Mc-secure against any effort to retake it. Clernand's cry for assistance reached So closed the work of that bloody headquarters. Gen. Lew. Wallace, commanding our center, ordered Col. Cruft, with his first brigade, to the rescue. Cruft, misdirected by his guide, took a wrong road; but it led him nevertheless into the fight, and served to draw off some Rebel attention from McClernand's overmatched column. Meantime, Col. Thayer," commanding his 3d brigade, was ordered by Wallace to the further support of McClernand; and his fresh troops, admirably handled, uniting with Cruft's, succeeded in stopping and turning back the Rebel advance. Gen. Grant reached the scene of conflict about 3 P. M., and, after a survey of the ground, ordered a general advance; Gen. Lew. Wallace leading the attack on the enemy's left, while Gen. C. F. Smith, on our left, should charge his right. This combined effort proved entirely successful. Wallace recovered all the ground lost during the day, resting at 5 P. M. within 150 yards of the intrenchments whence Buckner had sallied, only to return baffled at night; while Gen. Smith's charge on our left, magnificently led by him against breastworks whereof the defense had doubtless been weakened to strengthen Pillow's effort, succeeded with little loss. The 2d Iowa

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The night following the conflict just described was one of anxiety and trouble on the part of the Rebels. Gen. Grant's force had been increased by the arrival of transport after transport, until it must have amounted to 30,000, if not nearer 40,000 men, and was magnified by their apprehensions to 50,000. The effort to cut their way out through our right had been gallantly made, and had signally failed. Their outnumbered, roughly handled force, had endured 84 hours of alternate fighting and watching, while suffering all the hardships of a Winter campaign, and were so outworn as to

land. Col. Hanson says the way of escape re-
mained open till they were ordered back to the
trenches, late in the afternoon.
27 John M., 1st Nebraska.

26 Col. Hanson, 2d Kentucky, and Col. Cook, 32d Tennessee, as well as Maj. Brown, 20th Mississippi, officially report that, after Buckner's defeat of McClernand, on the morning of the 15th, there was no obstacle to the escape of their entire force southward or up the Cumber-reports. VOL. II.-4

28 (1

'Eighty-three regiments," says one of their

fall asleep standing in line of battle, when actually under fire. The position gained by Smith would enable him to take other of their intrenchments in reverse, or to advance under cover of a ridge directly upon their most important battery and fieldwork. Buckner declared that his post would certainly be attacked in the morning, and that he could not hold it half an hour; he thought they might yet fight their way out, with a loss of three-fourths of their number, but did not deem it right to sacrifice so large a proportion. These representations being undisputed, a surrender became inevitable. Yet Floyd, the sunset of whose career as Secretary of War had not appeared brilliant at the North, at once protested

that he would never surrender. Buckner-who, for obvious reasons, was scarcely more popular with Kentucky Unionists than was Floyd with those of the Free States-presented no such obstacle. Floyd, therefore, turned the command over to Pillow, who passed it to Buckner, whose late superiors now devoted their attention to the means of escape. Two Rebel steamboats having arrived a little before daylight from above, Floyd filled them with his soldiers, especially those of his own brigade, and, a little before sunrise, cast off and steamed up the river, leaving the residue to their fate." Col. Forrest, with some 800 cavalry, escaped by the road up the immediate bank of the river, which was partly overflowed, and therefore therefore deemed impracticable for infantry, but which Forrest's troopers appear to have traversed without difficulty or loss.

29 Maj. W. M. Brown, 20th Miss., in his official report, says one of the boats did not appear to have over 50 men on board, and that Floyd took

During the night, a negro had escaped from the Rebel lines, and given our leaders their first clear information of the straits of the enemy. Gen. Grant was therefore not surprised at receiving, about daylight, the following overture:

“HEADQUARTERS FORT DONELSON,
“Feb. 16, 1862.

"SIR: In consideration of all the circum

stances governing the present situation of affairs at this station, I propose to the commanding officer of the Federal forces the appointment of commissioners to agree upon terms of capitulation of the forces at this post under my command. In that view, I suggest an armistice until 12 o'clock to-day. "I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. B. BUCKNER, "Brig.-Gen. C. S. Army. "To Brig.-Gen. U. S. GRANT, commanding U. S. forces near Fort Donelson."

The reply was hardly so diplomatic, but quite lucid—as follows:

“HEADQUARTERS ON THE FIELD, "FORT DONELSON, Feb. 16, 1862. "To Gen. S. B. BUCKNER:

"SIR: Yours of this date, proposing an armistice and the appointment of commissioners to settle on the terms of capitulation, is just received.

mediate surrender, can be accepted. "No terms, except unconditional and im

"I propose to move immediately on your works.

"I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, U. S. GRANT, "Brig.-General Commanding." Gen. Buckner's response closed the correspondence thus:

"HEADQUARTERS DOVER (TENN.), Feb. 16, 1862. "Brig.-Gen. U. S. GRANT, U. S. Army:

"SIR: The distribution of the forces un

der my command incident to an unexpected change of commanders, and the overwhelming force under your command, compel me, notwithstanding the brilliant success of the Confederate arms, to accept the ungenerous and unchivalrous terms which you propose. I am, sir, your servant, “S. B. BUCKNER, "Brig.-General C. S. Army."

away about 1,500; but this is probably an under-estimate. As all would naturally wish to go, it is probable that all went who could.

GEN. MITCHEL AT BOWLING GREEN.

The Rebel loss by this conflict and capitulation must have been fully 10,000 men, including 2,000 killed and wounded," to say nothing of arms and munitions. Our loss in killed and wounded was probably the larger.

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The blow so well struck at Donelson was swiftly followed by important successes throughout Kentucky and in Tennessee.

Gen. Don Carlos Buell had, at the then recent partition of departments, been assigned" to that of the Ohio, including, besides three Free States, Tennessee, and all of Kentucky east of the Cumberland, with his headquarters at Louisville; where he still remained when his advance, consisting of some 16,000 men, led by Gen. O. M. Mitchel, moved," simultaneously with Gen. Grant's demonstration on Donelson, upon Bowling Green, the Rebel stronghold in Kentucky, where Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston had succeeded to the command, while Gen. Beauregard had been sent him from the east as a reenforcement. But Johnston's force, enormously and purposely magnified

* Gen. Pillow, in his supplemental report, says:

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by current report, had never amounted to 25,000 effectives, and had ere this in good part been sent to the defense of Donelson, until it had been reduced to about 7,000 or 8,000 men. As Mitchel advanced across Green river from his camp at Bacon creek, Johnston commenced his retreat on Nashville; so that, when Mitchel had reached" the north bank of Barren river, and looked across into Bowling Green, sending over Col. Turchin's brigade during the night, at a ferry a mile and a half below, he found the railroad dépôt on fire, with 7 locomotives, and a large amount of corn and other provisions, with the bridges of course destroyed, and the last of the Rebel army, consisting of Texas Rangers, just moving off on a railroad train, which had been retained for the purpose. The river, being wide and at a high stage, could not here be crossed till next day; so that Mitchel's forced march of 42 miles in 37 hours, clearing his road of trees which had been felled across it, was rewarded by very moderate captures, including a brass 6-pounder, and some $5,000 worth of commissary stores; but it was ments we do not find the 20th Mississippi, whose commander, Maj. W. M. Brown, officially reports that he surrendered 454; nor the 32d Tennessee, Col. Cook, who reports that he surrendered

"We sent up from Dover, 1,134 wounded. A Federal surgeon's certificate, which I have seen, says that there were about 400 Confederate pris- | 538. oners wounded in hospital at Paducah, making 1,534 wounded. I was satisfied the killed would increase the number to 2,000."

Pollard gives what he terms a correct list, by regiments, of the Confederate prisoners taken at Fort Donelson, footing up 5,079; but he evidently does not include in this total the wounded, of whom many must have been left on the field or in the hospital at the fort, as he says: "The village of Dover, which was within our lines, contained in every room in every house sick, wounded, or dead men. Bloody rags were everywhere, and a door could not be opened without hearing groans." And in his list of regi

Gen. Grant's report makes his captures 12,000 to 15,000 prisoners, at least 40 pieces of artillery, and a large amount of stores, horses, mules, and other public property.

31 Gen. Grant, speaking of the battle of the 15th, says: "Our loss can not fall far short of 1,200 killed, wounded, and missing," including 250 taken prisoners. The reports of Col. Cruft, Gen. W. H. L. Wallace, and Col. Lauman, show an aggregate loss of 1,306 in their three brigades, clearly indicating that Gen. Grant underestimated his casualties.

32 Nov. 9, 1861. 33 Feb. 11, 1862.

34 Feb. 14,

computed that the Rebels had been | his Legislature, with the State ar

compelled to destroy not less than half a million dollars' worth of munitions, including many arms. Large quantities of provisions and other stores, industriously collected throughout the preceding Fall and Winter, had been removed to Nashville during the last three or four days.

chives and treasure, betook themselves swiftly to Memphis; while Confederate officers devoted their attention to moving as rapidly as possible, the vast stores of provisions and munitions here accumulated. Two fine gunboats, being built at the river-side, were prepared for instant conflagration; and the magnificent Nashville had been electrified, and costly railroad and wire suspenduring the 15th (Saturday), with a sion-bridges over the Cumberland telegraphic dispatch from Dover, were likewise made ready for speedy announcing a Rebel victory; some- destruction-a fate which overtook what tempered by reports from them two or three days later. A Bowling Green that Johnston would fortification had in the mean time be obliged to evacuate that post. been commenced on the Cumberland, Next morning, however, came news four miles below the city, calculated of the capture of Donelson, with most to dispute and prevent the passage of its defenders; and along with of our gunboats; but this was soon it a first installment of Johnston's abandoned upon information that army retreating from dismantled Gen. Johnston had decided not to Bowling Green. The general aston- fight for Nashville, but to continue ishment was only equaled by the his retreat; which he did, unassailed, general consternation. Churches were to Corinth, Miss., south of the Tenclosed, or failed to open; there were nessee river, and nearly 300 miles hurried consultations and whispered from Bowling Green. Six weeks adieus in every quarter, whence bank were consumed in that retreat; which, directors rushed to impel specie and with a green and undisciplined army, other valuables toward the cars, was probably quite as disastrous as a soon to bear them to Chattanooga, | battle.3 to Columbia, and other points of comparative safety. Gov. Harris and

35 "An Impressed New-Yorker," in his narrative of personal adventures, entitled "Thirteen Months in the Rebel Army," says:

"The army was not far from 60,000 strong, after Gen. George B. Crittenden's forces were added to it at Murfreesboro'. The season of the year was the worst possible in that latitude. Rain fell-sometimes sleet-four days out of the seven. The roads were bad enough at best; but, under such a tramping of horses and cutting of wheels as the march produced, soon became horrible. About 100 regiments were numbered in the army. The full complement of wagons to each regiment (24), would give above 2,000 wagons. Imagine such a train of heavily loaded wagons passing along a single mud road, accompanied by 55,000 infantry and

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Directly after the capture of Fort Henry, Commander Phelps, with the

5,000 horsemen, in the midst of rain and sleet, day after day, camping at night in wet fields, or dripping woods, without sufficient food adapted to their wants, and often without any tents; the men lying down in their wet clothes, and rising chilled through and through. And let this continue for six weeks of incessant retreat, and you get a feeble glimpse of what we endured. The army suffered great loss from sickness, and some from desertion; some regiments leaving Bowling Green with six or seven hundred men, and reaching Corinth with but half of this number. The towns through which we passed were left full of sick men; and many were sent off to hospitals at some distance from our route."

Pollard makes Johnston's army at Murfreesboro' but 17,000.

NASHVILLE RESTORED TO THE UNION.

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wooden gunboats Conestoga, Tyler, | the 24th, but found no enemy preand Lexington, steamed up the Ten- pared to resist them. In fact, the Ten-pared nessee to Florence, Ala., at the foot city had virtually surrendered alof the Muscle Shoals, where he cap-ready to the 4th Ohio cavalry, Col. tured two steamboats, and constrained John Kennett, being the advance the Rebels to burn six others; he hav- of Buell's army. Col. Kennett had ing burnt the railroad bridge near reached Edgefield Junction, 8 or 10 Benton on the way. The wholly un-miles from Nashville, and thence sent expected appearance of the National forward a detachment, under Maj. flag in North Alabama, where slaves were comparatively few, and at least three-fourths of the people had stubbornly opposed Secession, was a welcome spectacle to thousands, and was greeted with enthusiastic demonstrations of loyalty.

Com. Foote, with the gunboats Conestoga and Cairo, moved up" the Cumberland from Donelson, three days after its surrender. At Clarksville, he found the railroad bridge destroyed; while the wealthier citizens had generally fled, and he encountered no resistance. As it would have been absurd to attack a city like Nashville with such a force, he now returned to Cairo for additional boats; while Gen. Smith, with the advance of our victorious army, marched up to Clarksville; whence Lieut. Bryant, of the Cairo, followed by 7 transports, conveying the brigade of Gen. Nelson, moved up the river to Nashville, where they arrived on

36 Feb. 19.

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37 Pollard says: "Gen. Johnston had moved the main body of his command to Murfreesboro'-a rear-guard being left in Nashville under Gen. Floyd, who had arrived from Donelson, to secure the stores and provisions. In the first wild excitement of the panic, the store-houses had been thrown open to the poor. They were besieged by a mob ravenous for spoils, and who had to be dispersed from the commissariat by jets of water from a steam fire-engine. Women and children, even, were seen scudding through the streets under loads of greasy pork, which they had taken as prizes from the store-houses. It is believed that hundreds of families, among the lower orders of he population, secured and secreted Govern

H. C. Rodgers, who occupied without resistance the village of Edgefield, opposite Nashville, on the Cumberland, and communicated with Mayor Cheatham, who surrendered the city to Col. Kennett on his arrival, which was before that of Gen. Nelson's command. A small squad of the 4th Ohio crossed over into the city and returned, their orders not contemplating its occupation; but the battery of the regiment had been planted where it commanded the heart of the city, and a reasonable fear of shells impelled Mayor Cheatham to proffer and hasten a surrender, by which he agreed to protect and preserve the public property in Nashville until it could be regularly turned over to the use of the United States.

But, in fact, the spoils of victory had already been clutched by the Nashville mob; so that, while the Rebel loss was enormous," the positive Union gain was inconsiderable.

ment stores enough to open respectable groceries. It was with the greatest difficulty that Gen. Floyd could restore order and get his martial law into any thing like an effective system. Blacks and Whites had to be chased and captured and forced to help the movement of Government stores. One man, who, after a long chase, was captured, offered fight, and was in consequence shot and badly wounded. Not less than one million of dollars in stores was lost through the acts of the cowardly and ravenous mob of Nashville. Gen. Floyd and Col. Forrest exhibited extraordinary energy and efficiency in getting off Government stores. Col. Forrest remained in the city about 24 hours, with only 40 men, after the arrival of the enemy at Edgefield."

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